Beliefs and Practices of Traditional Medicine among Women in Reproductive Health Care: A study in Damot Woyde Woreda, Wolaytta Zone
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Date
2022-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study has been conducted with the major arm of investigating the beliefs and
practices of traditional medicine in reproductive health care by emphasizing on rural
areas. The reproductive health issues covered in this study are: prenatal care, delivery
care, postnatal care, birth spacing service, abortion and STDs.
In order to investigate the beliefs and practices, this study has employed a crosss
ectional qualitative approach; and the data are collected by making use of in-depth
interviews, FGDs and key -informant interviews. The study subjects were selected
purposively with the help of health extension workers of each kebeles. Sixteen in-depth
interviews with practitioners of traditional medicine; twenty-two and sixteen in-depth
interviews with married and unmarried women in reproductive age, resp ectively; two
FGDs consis ting of seven participants and two consisting of six participants with
married and unmarried women (two with each of them); key informant interviews with
health extension workers, a midwife in Badessaa health center, two senior citizens who
are knowledgeable about the practice of reproductive health in the area, have been
conducted to collect the primary data.
Prenatal care, delivery care, abortion serVlce and treatment of STDs are among the
major services that the rural women get from traditional medicine practitioners in
relation to reproductive health; whereas birth spacing/control and postnatal care
serVlces are among the services that are not as such significant. None of the
reprodu ctive health problems is believed to be caused by supernatural forcers). And the
practice of traditional medicine is not accompanied by the belief that the issues should
be addressed by the practitioners because they are caused by the forces. Besides, it is
widely believed that the knowledge that the practitioners have is learned from their
parents, than being given by supernatural forcers).
Practitioners known as TBA; TBA and wogesha; TBA and herbalist; TBA, herbalis t and
wogesha; herbalist; and herbalist and wogesha are the practitioners who are engaged
in provis ion of the reproductive health services. Traditional medicine and its practitioners
have decisive place in the provision of reproductive health services in the rural areas.
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Keywords
Practices of Traditional Medicine among Women in Reproductive Health Care